JANUARY 2016

First United Methodist Church

Newton, North Carolina

Loving People into the Kingdom of God in the Heart of Catawba County.

IN TOUCH

300 N. Main Ave. PO Box 926 Newton, NC 28658

828-464-8422

fumcnewtonnc.org

facebook.com/ fumcnewtonnc

First United Methodist Church

Staff:

David Greene, Pastor

cell: 828-461-5910

Lara “Willis” Greene, Pastor

cell: 828-461-5918

John Coffey, Organist

Beth Fowler, Choir Director

Michael Roberts, Praise Service

Josh Costello, Youth Worship

Rose Bibeau, Children’s Music

Julie Braswell, Children’s Ministry

Ann Cook, Administrative Assist.

Kayla Sigmon, Nursery Ministry

Kristi Harvell, Preschool

January 31, 2016 at 11:00amJanuary 31, 2016 at 11:00amJanuary 31, 2016 at 11:00amJanuary 31, 2016 at 11:00am

First MethodistFirst MethodistFirst MethodistFirst Methodist welcomeswelcomeswelcomeswelcomes

Bishop Larry GoodpasterBishop Larry GoodpasterBishop Larry GoodpasterBishop Larry Goodpaster to theto theto theto the

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Bishop Goodpaster was assigned to serve as the Resident Bishop of the Western North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church in July, 2008, and reassigned in 2012. He was elected to the episcopacy in 2000 and served for eight years as the bishop of the Alabama-West Florida Conference in Montgomery, AL. Prior to his election as a bishop, Goodpaster served as a pastor and district superintendent in the Mississippi Conference. His pastoral experience included a five-church rural charge, a new congregation, and several large membership churches. He has taught in a variety of settings and has written articles appearing in various denomina-tional publications. His book, There’s Power in the Connection, was published in 2008 by Abingdon Press.

For two years (2010-2012) Goodpaster served as President of the Council of Bishops, which in-cludes United Methodist bishops from around the world. In that role, he preached at the opening worship service of the 2012 General Conference in Tampa, FL, and then presided over the open-ing session. Bishop Goodpaster earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Millsaps College in Jackson, MS, and both the Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Candler School of Theology, At-lanta, GA. He has received honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees from Huntingdon College (Montgomery, AL), Birmingham-Southern College (Birmingham, AL), and Millsaps College (Jackson, MS). He has been married to the former Deborah Cox of Quincy, FL since 1971. They have two daughters and four grandchildren.

First Youth Events in January 2016

Children's Ministries

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH JANUARY 2016

day by lunch time. The total cost is $130 per person and scholarships are available. Please call Julie 464-8422 or 803-445-4277 with any questions. Registration forms, current FUMC medical release forms, and a deposit of $75.00 are due by January 4th. These forms can be found on the church website and at the Wel-come Center. The balance of $55.00 will be due by the 16th. Friends are also wel-come to attend.

Sunday, January 24th 4 to 6 pm Youth in the Fellowship Hall Sunday, January 31st 4 to 6 pm Youth in the Fellowship Hall

Sunday, January 10th 4 to 6 pm Paint Party Saturday, January 16th-Monday, January 18th Winter Retreat 2016 You will not want to miss this. Our youth are invited to join with youth from Waynes-ville, Asheville, and Charlotte for a terrific retreat weekend. We leave at 7 am for the beau-tiful mountain retreat at Camp Cedar Creek in Ashe-ville. Wonderful worship, tons of teenagers, outside ac-tivities, great music, games, and flowing hot chocolate are just some of the elements of this very memorable week-end. We are back on Mon-

Kids 4 Christ will sing again, January 31st, don't miss it!

Sunday School Sundays 10:00 am to 10:45 am New LIVE, curriculum will start off the new year; come see what it is all about !

Kids 4 Christ Wednesdays 3:00 pm to 5:30 pm

Activity Room

Fun filled afternoon for chil-dren K-6th grade. We rotate with music, mission, games, and homework stations. Come and be a "Bucket Filler.” It is never to late to join us!

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Will you be my Valentine?Will you be my Valentine?Will you be my Valentine?Will you be my Valentine?

JANUARY 2016 FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

We all know how special it is to receive Valentine’s cards. You can share that feeling with our special church members who are shut-ins or liv-ing in assisted centers. The Care Ministry will have bags and a list of names placed on a table in the breezeway for your conven-ience from January 24th -February 7th.

Emotionally Healthy Spirituality

85% of Christians today admit to being stuck in their walk with Christ. Find a solution with the EHS Course and go beneath the surface to transform your life! What is the EHS Course? Emotionally Healthy Spirituality will take you on a journey to discovering a relationship with Christ that creates a spiritual revolution. It is not simply another program or study, it truly is a new way of living in Christ's love. Become serious about growing in Christ and discover

• a slowed down life and rhythms to cultivate a deep personal relationship with Jesus

• how to integrate emotional health into your spirituality through Biblical themes such as finding God in our losses & disappointments and how our family of origin can impact us from going forward

Introductory Session on Tuesday, January 26 at 7:00pm in the Gomedela Room. Come to learn more about the course & pick up materials. Weekly Sessions led by Lara "Willis" Greene begin Tuesday, February 2 and run through March 22. Cost for the materials is $30. Scholarships are available. Register online at www.fumcnewtonnc.org or call the church office at 464.8422. Learn more about EHS by visiting www.emotionallyhealthy.org. Join us for a powerful 8 week journey that will equip you with tools to have a deep interior life with Christ.

Just pick up a name list, address your cards and drop them back into the bags

before Sunday, February 7th. If you would like to help deliver the bags of cards to our mem-bers, call the church office 464-8422 or contact Julie at juliebbraswell@gmail.com

Join us as we celebrate with gratitude the many ways First

Methodist has received God’s love and shared God’s love

through the ministries and programs of the Advent Season.

∗ Senior Adult Breakfast

∗ Youth Lock-out

∗ Kids for Christ choir

∗ Preschool Christmas Program

∗ Chancel Choir Christmas Cantata

∗ Kids for Christ drama

∗ Community Christmas Party

∗ Birthday Party for Jesus

∗ Caroling

∗ Children’s Spontaneous Christmas Pageant

A special thank you to all who helped decorate the church for the Advent and Christmas season.

The Methodist Women will meet Monday, January 4 at 2:00pm in the Gomedela Room. Marjo Erickson will present the program on “Hands,” an informative,

inspirational, and interactive presentation. We welcome non-members to join us.

Methodist Women

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH JANUARY 2016

Newton Methodist Preschool Updates

Dear Church Family,

We have news to share with you about staffing changes within the preschool. We con-

gratulate Ms. Kristi Harvell who will be taking over as the interim Director of the preschool.

She has been a very beloved PreK teacher at the school for 12 years. We are very excited with

her promotion and have every confidence that she will lead the school into the future as a

Christ-honoring, child loving and teaching preschool.

I am stepping down as the director and moving to an assistant teacher position in the

three year classroom. I am asking everyone to pray for my family. My mother is now in ad-

vanced-stage Alzheimer's disease and this move will allow me to care for my parents and con-

tinue to be part of the preschool staff.

We are also adding to our staff, Jennifer Whitener, who has been on maternity leave for the

last six months. We welcome her back as the two year lead teacher for the remaining part of

the school year.

Also, the two year classroom is growing! We will be adding Jessica Parsons as an assistant

teacher in our two year classroom on the Tuesday/Thursday schedule. This will add four new

students to that classroom! God has been growing our preschool in strength and numbers, we

give Him the praise!

We want to say thank you to the other classroom teachers

who work and love our preschoolers each and every day, Laura

Gould, Allison Albert, Jennifer Sigmon, Melissa Thomas, and

Melissa Hatchett.

Please pray for our team as we minister, serve, and care for

the preschool families on behalf of FUMC!

Ms. Julia

Note of Thanks

The ministers and staff of First United

Methodist Church wish to thank you for

remembering us at Christmas with holi-

day treats and beautiful cards. We are

truly grateful!

Bring a new, plastic con-

tainer of peanut butter or

jelly for Conover School!

On the first Sunday of every

month, First UMC will cele-

brate PB & J Sunday, a day

designated for everyone to bring

either a plastic container of

peanut butter or a plastic con-

tainer of jelly.

PB & J Sundays

JANUARY BIRTHDAYSJANUARY BIRTHDAYSJANUARY BIRTHDAYSJANUARY BIRTHDAYS

JANUARY WEDDING ANNIVERSARIESJANUARY WEDDING ANNIVERSARIESJANUARY WEDDING ANNIVERSARIESJANUARY WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES

Tuesday, January 5

1:15pm

Gomedela Room

Please bring a friend!

Twelve games will be played

with prizes and

refreshments

furnished.

Plastic grocery bags are still being

collected for ECCCM and may be

dropped off at the Welcome Center.

However, we have been notified

that ECCCM no longer is in need of

egg cartons, so at this time they will

not be collected at the church.

ECCCM needs Bingo

Caleb Miller 1/20

Sara Sherrill 1/20

Amanda Simpson 1/20

Melinda Arndt 1/21

Lori Deal 1/21

Railey White 1/21

Brett Sigmon 1/22

Walter Stone 1/22

David Lewis 1/23

Elizabeth Rights 1/23

Madyson Fair 1/24

Robert Fowler 1/24

Marion Kelly 1/24

Teresa Coley 1/25

Linda Kosar 1/25

Brenda Saunders 1/25

Beverly Underwood 1/25

Diane Hadley 1/26

Luke Harman 1/27

Maggie Harman 1/27

Lee Burnette 1/28

Christopher White 1/28

Martha Calloway 1/29

R. Bradley McLawhorn 1/29

Faith Couture 1/30

Thomas Dixon 1/31

Michael Laney 1/31

Carolyn Brown 1/1

Bethany Carpenter 1/1

Freddie Cook 1/1

Mary Killian 1/1

Lukas Yoder 1/1

Mason Driscoll 1/2

Joseph Bump 1/3

Brandy Burnette 1/3

Crystal Caldwell 1/3

Jerry DeVos 1/3

Kaleb Gibson 1/3

E. Janet Cloninger 1/4

Laurel Phillips 1/4

Bradley Bollinger 1/5

Lindy Caldwell 1/5

James Pawlik 1/5

William Shillito 1/5

C. Ray Shrum 1/5

Frankie Cooke 1/6

Tracie Kelley 1/6

Courtney Brown 1/7

Lori Mayberry 1/7

Staci Miller 1/7

Bradley Byrd 1/8

Rebecca Campbell 1/8

Melissa Herman 1/8

Patricia Britt 1/9

Vance Ervin 1/9

Jamie Gantt 1/9

Nancy Ryan 1/9

Jeffrey Wyatt 1/9

Donna Mull 1/10

Michael Caldwell 1/11

Helen Clapp 1/11

Kristy Smith 1/11

Sandra Hardin 1/12

Matthew Miller 1/12

Harper Donley 1/13

Harrison Jones III 1/13

W. Harold Lynch 1/13

Emma Robison 1/13

John Trivette 1/13

Jo-Anne Beiler 1/14

Bray Hunter 1/14

Jennifer Winstead 1/15

Kirby Blalock 1/17

Wilson Hasty 1/17

Jackie Sigmon 1/18

Melissa Natoli 1/19

Michael Natoli 1/19

Elizabeth Schmitz 1/19

Christy Vanover 1/19

Kathy Boylan 1/20

Robert & Barbara McLawhorn 1/1

Clark & Teresa Fletcher 1/2

Jeff & Sarah DeBerardinis 1/8

Rob & Debbie Rights Jr. 1/21

Tony & Jill Philmon 1/30

December Memorials Adrian Cloninger Current Expense Fund

Jack Gantt Robe Fund

Ed & Rachel Carter Newton Methodist Preschool

Dr. Al Bandy Current Expense Fund

Wilma Wilson Waters Music Fund

December Honorariums Christi Cranford Community Christmas Party Eunice Gutyar Current Expense Fund

The Andersons Robe Fund

The Andersons Current Expense Fund

The Hollars Robe Fund

Jackie Bandy Current Expense Fund

Martha Sowers Current Expense Fund

The Beamans Current Expense Fund

Sharing Our Gifts

Sunday Attendance Tithes and

Offerings

Capital

Bldg. Fund

Dec. 6 302 11,232.00 835.00

Dec. 13 347 14,453.50 1,435.00

Dec. 20 264 12,840.00 7,485.00

Dec. 27 158 10,076.00 1,340.00

ON TIME

Jan 4 Women’s Group III Jan 5 Bingo Jan 10 Welcoming Team Meeting Youth Jan 13 Women’s Bible Study Trustees Jan 17 Youth Winter Retreat Jan 24 Youth Preschool Board Meeting Jan 26 Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Introductory Meeting Jan 31 Unity Service Bishop Preaching k4C singing Youth

A calendar is be-ing prepared for those wishing to furnish altar flowers in 2016. Please fill out the form below and return it to the church office to reserve the Sunday of your choice.

I will furnish altar flowers in 2016 as follows:

Date_______________________

In Memory/Honor of __________________________________

By________________________________

The youth of First United Methodist church would like to send out a huge thank you to all who donated funds and their time to the Community

Christmas Party. The party was a great suc-cess. The Startown students had loads of fun and were very appreciative of their gifts and the party itself. We could not have done this without all the prayer, love, and financial support from our church family. Thank you!